Jonas in the Jungle

The films »Jonas in the Desert«, from 1994, and »Jonas at the Ocean«, from 2002, were followed up last year by the film »Jonas in the Jungle«, which will be screened at the ZKM. Director Peter Sempel's films are dedicated to Lithuanian director, writer and curator Jonas Mekas, the living legend of film avant-garde.In the essayistic filmic hike, Peter Sempel shows the over 90 year-old Jonas Mekas, who sings and dances, and who offensively processes his past as refugee with the new media and »Occupy« actions, and, with Fluxus and film, music and poetry stands for political decentralization in the name of freedom.

The screening of »Jonas in the Desert« was held at the ZKM in June, 2013.

Jonas Mekas
fled Lithuania during the Second World War, and was initially stranded in refugee labor camp near Hamburg before finding himself in a reception camp near to Mainz. In 1949, he immigrated to North America and, from 1953, himself began making films − soon moving on to become a key figure in New American Cinema. Today, at 92, Mekas lives in New York and is highly esteemed in the film industry throughout the world.

Peter Sempel
lived in the Australian outback during the first years of his life. Back in Germany, he studied literature and physics at the University of Hamburg. He wrote for music journals, such as »Spex« and »Fanzines«, and has been shooting music and dance films since 1981. In addition to his activities in film, Sempel is also a successful photographer, and many of his photographic work have been exhibited.